OppositeLock wrote:=D> I'm hoping these are more than just rumors. Brawn's ticket may have been punched when Schumacher was shown the door. He essentially received a no confidence vote. The timing is right to trim the rose bush as big changes are on the way in 2014.

I don't believe Schumi was shown the door...at least not in a matter of fact sense. Schumacher always towed the company line in public, never letting on what's really behind the curtain. I believe that after 3 years, he had little confidence this technical team would suddenly achieve what they couldn't in the previous 3. So he didn't commit to a 4th year and was fine with the teams choice to get Hamilton.

I don't believe for 1 second that if Schumi thought a winning car was truely in the works, after 3 years of struggling, that he 'd have ANY reluctance in gving it another year. Despite his PR optimism- I think he expected what many of us fans expect... another disappointing season.

Of course Schumi was shown the door. The talks and agreement with Hamilton, dated back to APRIL. So from then on, Merc F1 KNEW that Schumacher would not be staying with the team.

Well we know for a fact that Mercedes waited on Schumacher until Schumachers own clause lapsed in August 2012.Mercedes covered their bases in case he decided to call it quits. Had they not held initial discussions with drivers they would be in a tough spot driver wise.

gilgen wrote:Of course Schumi was shown the door. The talks and agreement with Hamilton, dated back to APRIL. So from then on, Merc F1 KNEW that Schumacher would not be staying with the team.

Talks- yes, agreement in April is news to me. Link please?

Also- Schumachers non commitance to 2013 predates april... as far back as 2010, he has always said he would honor his 3 year deal and decide only near the end of his contract.

I find it perfectly reasonable that Merc had talks with Hami (and others) to protect thier interests...and they did. Both Haug and Brawn are on record as wanting Schumi to stay on but both stated that decision was his. They are also on record that Schumi was kept aware of negotiations. Why keep him in the loop if the decision were already made that he's gone?

Schumacher wasn't shown door as much as he was outside the door and his indecision allowed the door to be closed on him. Now we could debate if that was his intention or not but I'll readily admit I have no facts to support my beliefs here.

gilgen wrote:Of course Schumi was shown the door. The talks and agreement with Hamilton, dated back to APRIL. So from then on, Merc F1 KNEW that Schumacher would not be staying with the team.

Talks- yes, agreement in April is news to me. Link please?

Also- Schumachers non commitance to 2013 predates april... as far back as 2010, he has always said he would honor his 3 year deal and decide only near the end of his contract.

I find it perfectly reasonable that Merc had talks with Hami (and others) to protect thier interests...and they did. Both Haug and Brawn are on record as wanting Schumi to stay on but both stated that decision was his. They are also on record that Schumi was kept aware of negotiations. Why keep him in the loop if the decision were already made that he's gone?

Schumacher wasn't shown door as much as he was outside the door and his indecision allowed the door to be closed on him. Now we could debate if that was his intention or not but I'll readily admit I have no facts to support my beliefs here.

Common knowledge! Ask Sergio when talks about joining Mc Laren were initiated. Hamilton had already committed to Merc, and McLaren need a replacement. Now, if Hamilton was already committed, how could Schumacher mistakenly believe that he could still re-sign with Merc? Schumacher was kept in the dark, despite Perez being signed up to replace Hamilton, who even earlier had signed with Merc. Schumacher was shafted.

Common knowledge? The earliest i've heard of an agreement was Singapore. I've seen and read nothing reliable about an April agreement. Surely, if this is common knowledge, you can point to some reliable source?

winth304 wrote:it was reported, that schumacher was so upset to be dumbed and also the way he was dumbed that straight after he was told about his demission he called in a press conference within 5mins!

FoxHound wrote:The W03 was fast out the blocks, lets remember that at least.

At least for the first few laps:)

Toto seems to be on a brief to slim down the organization, I think that should work as the previous structure put in was too large. I expect some of the heads to packed off for a more efficient team.

Ross is a great guy for operations but i wonder why he moved out (when he did) from Ferrari. If he is on the move then I think it will be on Lauda's assessment rather than Toto's.

Ross anyway is now too rich to be a employee (could be very wrong), but i don't see him at his very best unless he uses his riches to buy a stake in some other tame and then involved in the day to day running.

Looks very much like Ross was focussed in increasing the teams net work through employing high profile engineers which would be in line with him never wanting more out of it than to sell the team on down the line again.Mercedes are probably serious about wanting to win now after three years of phaffing about. Bringing Toto Wolfe and Paddy Loew would be a smart move.the guys they'e really missing is Tomabazis or Prodromou but I doubt they'd get either

Raptor22 wrote:Looks very much like Ross was focussed in increasing the teams net work through employing high profile engineers which would be in line with him never wanting more out of it than to sell the team on down the line again.Mercedes are probably serious about wanting to win now after three years of phaffing about. Bringing Toto Wolfe and Paddy Loew would be a smart move.the guys they'e really missing is Tomabazis or Prodromou but I doubt they'd get either

I believe Tombazis was linked with them in early 2010, but it may have been simply based no the expectation that Brawn wanted to get all his old Benetton/Ferrari people around him.

If Tombazis were to be fired (and that is not out of the question, if the Ferrari is slow out of the blocks again this year) then I imagine Mercedes would be quick to snap him up.